Elevator accidents are terrifying. You’re stuck in a small room that is attached to a wire, dangling many feet above the ground. The doors won’t open, the buttons won’t work, and often, cell phones don’t receive service. Here are some tips to keep you safe during an elevator accident.

Elevator accidents happen because of mechanical failure or during extreme power outages. If you’re stuck in an elevator that fails, here’s what to do:

• Always remain calm. Panicking won’t help anything.
• If your cell phone works, call 911. If it doesn’t, there is usually an alarm installed in the elevator. If that fails, ask other people if their cell phones work. If all that fails, sit tight. Someone will come soon.
• Help others remain calm by talking and assuring them that help is on the way.
• Do not try to pry open the doors or crawl out the roof. This can result in a fall or unnecessary injury.
• If you need more ventilation, look for any openings in the roof. In most elevators, you don’t need to worry about running out of oxygen. They are usually not air tight, so oxygen is seeping in.

Here are more tips to keep you safe:

• If you know a certain elevator has malfunctioned before, don’t use it. There are many cases in which elevators that have malfunctioned once do it again and again. This either means the elevator owner hasn’t found and fixed the problem, or maintenance routines are not up to standard.
• If there are more people in the elevator than it’s capacity allows, don’t enter it. Wait for the next one. The weight limit is usually posted somewhere inside the elevator or on the door, but use your common sense. If it looks too full, it probably is.
• If there are stairs, consider using them. It’s good exercise.
• Never stick your hands in the elevator door. You see people do it all the time, but some elevator doors will not bounce back open. Instead, your hand will be trapped as the elevator begins to move.